Writer Perseveres and Makes Dream Come True

Any writer who has ever authored a manuscript and tried to get the work published knows just how arduous that can be. Rejection from overwhelmed agents and publishers is the fate of most hopeful writers with the exception of only a very privileged few.

Ranse Parker's new mystery/adventure novel, Circle of Doors, is not only published, but is now available through all major booksellers. However, Parker is far from being one of the "privileged" authors.

Ranse was an entrepreneur running the last of his own companies in 2002 when not long after consulting for the Winter Olympic Games, a lifetime of focused career ambition suddenly and mysteriously vanished.

A few months later while lost in a professional void, the author experienced a profound dream lasting two nights in which he watched a movie never seen before. An overwhelming impression then came to him that he was supposed to write the story of the movie from that dream. It would soon become his new ambition.

Ranse brought his entire family together to explain the situation. They agreed that the experiences were not simply coincidence and that he should follow through and write the story.

His wife volunteered to go back to work after being a stay-at-home mom for eleven years. The two older of four children found part time jobs to help pay for their own expenses, and the writing began.

It was a change so atypical that the family was sworn to secrecy. No one outside the family except for a handful of close friends and associates would know about the writing project until the book was first printed almost five years later.

Business assets and prized possessions were sold to provide additional income. Parker said that as long as he stayed focused on the work, somehow circumstances always favored them to stay ahead of the bills.

There's an interesting twist, however. Ranse has been teased with $1,000 checks every month for over four years for a contract he had previously cancelled with a national company. The checks started arriving again after the company merged with another.

Early attempts to correct the error were unsuccessful. So every month a new check arrives and the unopened envelope is added to a pile of others. When asked if he was ever tempted to cash any of them, Ranse responded, "No. It isn't my money."

The manuscript and major editing were completed after four and a half years of work. Queries were sent to a few dozen reputable agents and publishers. No one was interested. Self-publishing seemed the next best course of action.

The work was published as print-on-demand and marketed by Amazon.com. Readers gave the story and Parker's writing very positive reviews. But after a national press release fell on deaf ears, he soon discovered that the associated media does not recognize self-published books as legitimate literature.

"I was told directly by the book reviewer at a large paper that it was the paper's policy not to review self-published books," Parker relates. "This is the official policy of most reputable media."

Parker says the policy exists because a work published by a recognized publisher typically goes through extensive professional editing and evaluation. A self-published work generally has no governing process other than that of its author. It may contain anything from inspired prose to babbling drivel.

"What's unfortunate though is that because of this policy, all self-published books are dismissed arbitrarily without any other consideration," Parker says. "I find it somewhat ironic that the first thing the book related media does is judge a book by its cover."

A curious sequence of events would later lead the author to a well-connected book distributor. The work was evaluated and distribution was offered if the book could be printed to commercial quality standards.

Armed with new hope, publishers and agents were once again solicited. There was still no interest.

Undeterred, Ranse weighed the available options and using his house and other remaining assets as leverage, tapped into his entrepreneurial business background and formed his own publishing company.

The first print run was completed and sent to the distributor a few months later. Within weeks Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com and others accepted the book. Utah Costco stores picked it up and Ranse has been signing at Barnes & Noble and Costco locations every week since February.

Parker's ambition to realize a dream is not just a metaphor, but a literal journey of self-actualization. Where many would have seen delusion and unacceptable risk, he recognized opportunity on a road less traveled. "I don't believe in failure," he says. "Only course corrections."

Ranse will be the first to tell you that his accomplishments are not his alone, but a collaborative effort. "Without the help of friends and associates, and the faith, work and sacrifice of my family, Circle of Doors would likely not exist."

Even though Ranse says that he still doesn't know why he was chosen for this journey or where it might ultimately lead, it was an opportunity so incredible that he couldn't deny it.

"It was never about me," he concludes, "it was always about the story. That was the point of everything. When you forget yourself and focus on what's really important, anything is possible."

Visit RanseParker.com or CircleofDoors.com for more information about the book and its author.